Stand Out
by Fizzy Starburst
Summary: A Harper/Zeke story. Zeke's in love with Harper, but thinks that she's so in love with Justin that she doesn't even notice him. Originally planned as a songfic to "Stand Out" by Tevin Campbell. Oneshot.


Zeke walked the halls of Tribeca Prep, with those abnormalities that only he possessed. He wasn't popular, yet everyone liked him, and he oozed of confidence. Except when he was talking to her. She was the only person he'd ever met that made him feel incompetent, and all because she was in love with his best friend. Of course, he couldn't tell Justin that. What would Justin say if he told him that he was in love with Harper Finkle? Nothing good, that was for sure.

Harper was sweet, innocent, smart, pretty, bubbly...the list could go on for hours in Zeke's mind. But all she cared about was Justin. He would never have the privilege of having those beautiful brown eyes gaze at him, though he longed they someday would. She would never seen him as anything other than her crush's best friend.

Sure, they had gone to Zombie Prom together, but nothing had happened afterwards. Zeke had always thought that she had only asked him because Justin was with Juliet, and being Justin's best friend, he was the next best thing. He didn't like to think that. He liked to think that Harper had always seen him as boyfriend materiel, and she only worked up the nerve to ask him then. He knew he would never forget that night. He had a blast, dressing up like a Zombie, beating Jefferson High in a dance-off, and having the prettiest date. It was one of the best nights of his life.

He just then noticed her standing and talking to Alex. As Alex waved and left, he felt the urge to talk to her. Despite the fact that she made his confidence level drop, he loved talking to her.

As he strut towards her, he neglected to notice the water on the ground, causing him to slip and fall onto the floor. He landed flat on his back, his books, binders and papers flew everywhere.

Harper had seen this, and rushed over to help him, "Oh my gosh, are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." he chuckled, "Just a little slip."

She smiled back at him. Damn, did he ever love that smile. "Well that's good." she said, with a hint of relief. This pleased Zeke, it proved that she was at least concerned about him.

He then noticed the awkward silence. As he started to pick up his papers and such, he asked, "So where were you headed?"

"I was just headed over to the Russo's." She answered with a smile.

He couldn't help but let a small giggle come out. "Harper, you live with them know," he explained as he stood back up, "I'm pretty sure they'd be okay with you calling it home."

Harper shook her head. "It just seems too weird, and almost, I don't know, disrespectful, in a way."

Zeke nodded apprehensively. He then turned to look at her and said, in a sudden rush of boldness, "Well, I'm hanging out with Justin today anyway, would you mind if I walked you over?"

He immediately wanted to slap himself on the head, but then she said, "Sure, I'd like that." with an almost overly warm smile. And for that half a second, Zeke thought there could be hope, that maybe she wanted him after all. However, she then added, "I hate walking alone. I don't know why, it just creeps me out." What he didn't know was that Harper walked alone all the time, and found nothing creepy about it. She had just wanted to stay with him, without coming off as too obvious.

As they left the school, they were awkwardly silent. Zeke hated the silence. So did Harper. But neither of them could think of anything to say. After all, what would you say to your best friend's siblings best friend that you secretly have a crush on? They both were racking their brains for something to say, when out of the blue, there hands brushed by each others. They both felt the same rush of electricity, and they both had the longing to reach out and hold the other's hand. However, they were both too unsure on how the other would react, so they decided against it.

Once they reached Waverly Sub Station, Harper looked up, and said in a voice barely above a whsiper, "Thanks. For walking me here, I mean. You really didn't to."

He smiled down at her, "But on the contrary," his voice was quite louder than hers, "It was my pleasure." And he truly meant it.

Then, they were both just standing there, in silence, smiling at each other. But this wasn't an awkward silence. In fact, neither of them wanted this silence to end. However, it ended, all too soon, because Justin Russo then emerged down the staircase. "Zeke!" He called, "What took you so long?"

He had to tear himself away from her gorgeous brown eyes, "I was just walking Harper over."

"Well come on! I got the game all set up!"

"I'll be right there!" Zeke called. He then turned back to look at Harper, and said, "See you around?"

"Yeah." She smiled weakly.

As Zeke and Justin mounted the stairs, Zeke couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit envious. The most amazing girl in school was head over heels in love with him, and he wanted nothing to do with her. Zeke just could not comprehend what was wrong with his best friend.

Justin then noticed the puzzled expression on his friend's face, and asked, "Dude, what's wrong?"

"I was just..." Zeke searched to find the right word "...contemplating. Contemplating how lucky you are."

By this point, they had reached the door, and Justin opened it. "What do you mean? I'm really unlucky."

Zeke entered the room and plopped himself down on the couch, "It's just...the most beautiful girl at Tribeca Prep is totally in love with you, and yet you want nothing to do with her."

"Are you out of you mind?" Justin asked, clearly confused. "The only girl in love with me would be my girlfriend." After Juliet had lost her vampire powers, Justin had been devrestated, until he ran into his ex-girlfriend, Miranda. The two decided to give their relationship a second go, and had been dating ever since. "Wait a minute," he asked as the realisation hit him, "Who do _you_ think is the most beautiful girl at school?"

Zeke was caught, and he knew it. "Umm...it doesn't matter. Let's just start the game."

Justin complied, but he wasn't letting this go.

_

* * *

_

Within two hours, the game was finished, with Justin coming out triumphant. While the two were cleaning up, Justin asked, "So, what makes you think Harper Finkle is the prettiest girl in school?"

Zeke laughed nervously, and said, "I never said that."

"You said the prettiest girl in school is in love with me, and since Harper is the only girl at Tribeca who's in love with me..."

Zeke immediately knew he was beat. He sighed in defeat before saying, "I actaully said she was the most beautiful girl in school." Justin heard the sadness in his friends voice as he said, "But it doesn't even matter, she's so in love with you that she doesn't even notice me."

"But, didn't she ask you to Zombie prom?"

"Well yeah, but you were already going with Juliet, so to Harper, I was the next best thing."

"Did she actually tell you that?" Justin asked.

"No, but, y'know, I assumed-"

He was cut off by Justin saying, "Trust me, there was more to it than that."

"What do you mean?" Zeke asked.

"The interest was already there."

"How do you know?"

"Alex told me." Justin said with a smug smile.

"Would Alex have happened to tell you if the interest is still there?" he asked his friend hopefully.

Justin sighed, "That I do not know." He watched his best friends face fall, so he added, "But there's no harm in asking."

"You think I should ask Alex if Harper still likes me?" He asked, rather confused.

Justin shook his head, "No, I think you should ask Harper if she likes you."

"I can't."

"And why not?"

Zeke sighed heavily, "Because I don't handle rejection well."

"But what if she _doesn't _reject you?"

"But dude, what if she does?"

"Zeke, listen to me. Harper is my sister's best friend. She lives in the basement. So believe when I say she really likes you, even if it's only as friends. If she turns you down, she's going to be gentle about it."

Zeke then stood up and smiled, "Thanks bro." he said with a new found confidence. He patted his friend on the back. "I'm gonna head home now, but I'll see you tomorrow."

"Alright, see you tomorrow." Once the door was shut, Justin looked over to the brunette peaking behind the staircase. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough." Alex smiled deviously.

* * *

It was the next day, at cheer leading practice. The team decided to kick Alex off, and Mr. Larritate thought that was good enough, they were once again permitted to cheer at games.

Anyone who knew Harper could tell she was filled with anxiety. Alex had said that she overheard Justin and Zeke talking, and that she heard them say Zeke was going to ask her out. As much as Harper wanted to believe it, she found it hard to. However, this would be the first time today that she would see him, and she had a lingering hope inside that he would.

As the practiced continued, Harper was unable to take her eyes off of Zeke. The rest of the team found this very disturbing, mostly because they all had assumed that he was...well...playing for the other team. Harper knew better than that. After all, he had been her date to Zombie Prom, and he had had girlfriends in the past.

Zeke, however, was completely oblivious to the girl almost drooling behind him. He was too busy fretting over how to go about asking her out. He wanted to be smooth, but that wasn't one of his stronger points.

Stephanie, the newly appointed cheer captain soon interupted his thoughts by calling out, "I think that's enough for today. That was great everyone! Let's go wash up and I'll see you all next practice!"

Zeke wonderedwhether or not he should pull Harper aside. After a quick debate in his head, he had decided it would be best to shower first.

Harper, on the other hand, was rather upset. Practice was over, and not only had Zeke not asked her out, he barely even said a word to her. Alex must have made the whole thing up, she decided. As she left the dressing room, now fresh smelling and in her, well, can we ever really say regular clothes for Harper?, someone from behind her touched her shoulder, and she knew before even turning around that it was Zeke, due to the rush of electricity that had just come over her whole body. She turned around, "Hey," she smiled.

"Hi." Was all he could manage to get out. There was no way he could do this. He could barely form a sentence, let alone ask her out! _'Small talk' _he reminded himself. "So, what did you think of that new cheer?"

"I guess it was alright." She shrugged, "It seemed rather unoriginal, though."

"Could be worse," he offered, "Could've been one of Alex's cheers." he flashed an amused grin.

Harper couldn't help but laugh, "Yeah, those were something else." She then noticed how Zeke had suddenly changed his attitudes completely, he seemed almost, worried, and full of anxiety.

This was because Zeke knew it was now or never, "Yeah, um, speaking or something else," well, there was no backing out now, "you wouldn't happen to maybe, I don't know, doing anything. Like, this Saturday?"

Harper froze. He couldn't be, could he?, "No, why?" She asked, barely able to contain her excitement.

"Well, you see, Justin, Miranda, and I were planning on seeing this movie and---"

All of her excitement suddenly dropped "---and you need another friend to tag along because you don't want to be the third wheel."

"Um, no, actually, I was kind of maybe hoping that we could make it a..." He took a deep breath, "double date?" Harper could not believe her ears. Zeke had just asked her, Harper Finkle, to go on a date. This couldn't really be happening, could it? Unfortunatley, Zeke took her silence as a no. "But if you don't want to I mean, that's cool---"

He was cut off by Harper throwing her arms around him, "Yes."

"Yes?" He asked, uncertain of what he just heard.

"Yes." She clarified.

He then wrapped his arms around her, "Awesome."


End file.
